Flagella are organelles that are composed of microtubules, forming the axoneme, which exhibit a remarkably well conserved structure and molecular composition. Nevertheless, global flagellar structuration evolved differently, with for example exhaustive complexification by the addition of elaborate structures essential for their function, such as in spermatozoa and in protists.
We use the paraflagellar rod (PFR), a lattice-like structure physically attached to the axoneme, as a paradigm to investigate these extra-axonemal structures. It is present only in the Discoba clade. It has been shown that the PFR adopts various shapes, size and positioning in diverse members from this clade. This could impact on flagellar function and assembly. Whole genome tagging identified more than 150 proteins present in the PFR in the parasite Trypanosoma brucei.
We wish to understand how the PFR evolved, diverged or was lost in protists and its impact on the flagellar composition from proteins complexes to molecular marks.
